Delahoyde & Hughes Orpheus HOMER'S ILIAD: BOOK IX

Questions for Book IX:

• Achilles' old teacher comes from a rather dysfunctional family: he slept with his father's mistress because his mother begged him to do it, and when his father found out and cursed him, he decided to kill the old man. What is the point of telling this story to Achilles?
• Although Achilles says he loved the girl Briseis, whom Agamemnon snatched away, what is his real problem? What did the girl represent or what issue is he really hung up on?
• True or false: When Achilles was a toddler he used to barf wine on Phoenix's shirt.

The book begins with an acknowledgement that the Greek troops are scared.

The concept of "Ate," meaning delusion or madness or blinding ruin, plays a part in Agamemnon's excuse for his earlier behavior now (esp. 9.138). When Nestor advises getting Achilles back, Agamemnon can't seem to emphasize enough that "since I was blinded, lost in my own inhuman rage, / now, at last, I am bent on setting things to rights: / I'll give a priceless ransom paid for friendship" (9.143-145).

Peachy, but pay attention to the speech he gives, itemizing the gifts he promises (Briseis back and cauldrons and horses and seven skilled women of Lesbos and gold and bronze and one of his own daughters) and his finalé:

All this--
I would extend to him if he will end his anger.
Let him submit to me! Only the god of death
is so relentless, Death submits to no one--
so mortals hate him most of all the gods.
Let him bow down to me! I am the greater king,
I am the elder-born, I claim--the greater man. (9.187-193)

When the delegation goes to Achilles and Odysseus repeats, verbatim, Agamemnon's speech, "the great tactician" earns his title by diplomatically omitting that last part (9.361f).

But Achilles is still caught at an impasse. He even questions the heroic code: "One and the same lot for the man who hangs back / and the man who battles hard. The same honor waits / for the coward and the brave. They both go down to Death, / the fighter who shirks, the one who works to exhaustion" (9.385-388). He works himself into the same frenzy against Agamemnon and insists that tomorrow he's sailing home. (So why didn't he leave in all this time?) He also mentions his particular fate (9.497-505).

Achilles' old teacher, Phoenix, reminds Achilles that he was like a substitute son to Phoenix, and makes the same appeal for Achilles to relent. It's clear that if Achilles rejects Agamemnon's offer, he takes on himself responsibility for the folly of this feud -- since it is an honorable offer. Anger is overwhelming his own honor and spirit.

Ajax, the third of the delegates, makes his case -- the worst of the three. "Achilles, / put some human kindness in your heart" (9.780-781). That's not how it works! And Achilles gets himself all in a tizzy again: "But my heart still heaves with rage / whenever I call to mind that arrogance of his" (9.789-790). He may be giving an inch when he says that he'll not return to battle ... until the Trojans drive back the Greeks all the way to the ships.

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Iliad: Book X
Iliad Index
Orpheus: Greek Mythology